Iran Claims Four Tankers Hit by Mines in Strait of Hormuz, Operating in Restricted Zones

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran stated that four oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz have collided with mines.

According to AFP on the 30th (local time), the IRGC claimed that three oil tankers hit mines and caught fire after passing through an unauthorized southern route in the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC stated that the three tankers had turned off both their radars and navigation systems and ignored warnings.

Additionally, the Iranian military claimed that another oil tanker struck a mine and caught fire while operating in a restricted zone in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz.

In connection with this, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that it received a report of a vessel catching fire in waters about 46 kilometers northeast of Khasab, Oman.

However, the exact time of the accident and the nationality of the vessel have not been confirmed.

Previously in the same region, a traditional wooden dhow caught fire and sank, and another oil tanker was reportedly struck by an unidentified projectile.

Iran has restricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the war last February.

In particular, Iran regards the southern route close to the Omani coast as an unauthorized shipping lane.

In response, the United States has blockaded Iranian ports and is assisting oil tankers in passing through the strait.

Earlier, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that it had cleared all mines installed in the main shipping lanes, but the IRGC countered that this was not true.

Meanwhile, the IRGC claimed in a separate statement that it had captured an American MQM-170 reconnaissance drone in the western part of the Strait of Hormuz.
 
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.